My Dad: The Hero

When I think of Memorial Day, the daughters and sons and wives and parents and siblings who miss their soldier while he or she is gone come to mind first.

I’m certain that Vietnam was no picnic for my dad – either time he went. But what I remember most as a second grader is missing my dad and wondering where he went. I had no concept of what or where Vietnam was.

Lucky for us, dad came home relatively safe and sound from both tours he did there. Nowadays, soldiers are doing 3, 4 and 5 trips to Iraq and Afghanistan – missing entire childhoods.

So, yes, I salute those who gave their lives to military service — both literally and figuratively, both soldier and child.